


An Enemy's Mercy

by TheLiteralGarbageCan



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: AKA: Heinkel still fucks up but tries to make it better, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Kimblee isn't so much of an asshole, Kimblee survives fighting Al, Like...Only a little bit less, Mild Blood, Mild Language, maybe a bit more than mild, shitty title is shitty, theSE TAGS SUCK
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2016-10-19
Packaged: 2018-08-19 03:54:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8188651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLiteralGarbageCan/pseuds/TheLiteralGarbageCan
Summary: What if Al and the other's saved Kimble rather than letting Pride finish him off?(I'm sorry this summary is shit)





	1. Chapter 1

The four sped away from the enraged Pride as fast as the half-broken car would allow. The uneven terrain would jostle the riders, earning an all too quiet groan from the injured alchemist they had brought with them, every so often.

"S-so, what n-now?" Yoki said, still tear stained and refusing to loosen his death grip on the wheel.

"We head to central to help Ed and the others," Heinkel decided.

"What about Kimblee?" Alphonse asked, looking to the half dead man who laying across the back seat of the car.

A sleeve ripped from a jacket was haphazardly wrapped around his throat in an attempt to stop the bleeding, though it did little and was now thoroughly soaked with blood. He seemed to only be half conscious, probably from blood loss, and his breathing labored and uneven.

"We could just throw him out of the car," Heinkel suggested.

"No! We can't just let him die." Al protested.

"Why not? It's not like he's done anything for us. Aside from trying to kill us."

"It's not right, his life isn't something to throw away."

"Even if he's taken the lives of others?"

"Yes! I mean...Gah!" Alphonse put his head in his hands. He slowly removed his hands before continuing once he had composed himself. "Wouldn't you feel guilty? You are the one who did this to him." He pointed out.

"While this argument is absolutely riveting," Yoki said with dripping sarcasm. "Could we figure out just where the hell we're going?!"

In between the yelling, Kimblee's already strained breathing hitched before he weakly coughed up blood. The blood dripped from the corner of his mouth as he gave a grimace before allowing his half open eyes to slip closed. Alphonse diverted his attention from bickering onto the ailing man, worrying that he might die before they could get him help. He shook the alchemist as gently as he could for fear of worsening his already frail condition.

"Mr. Kimblee, Mr. Kimblee please try to stay awake." Al tried hiding the worry in his voice. "If you don't stay awake you'll go into shock."

Kimblee's eyes slowly opened again but they were unfocused and dim, none of it's usual glinting cruelness showing. His eyes fell on the one who had shaken him but they seemed to be looking through Alphonse rather than at him. Kimblee gave another weak cough before his eyes shut again.

Al gave sigh before turning back to Yoki. "We're taking him to Dr. Knox."

"I still vote we leave him to die." Heinkel shook his head.

"Well, this isn't up for debate." Al snapped.

They drove on the drone of the car engine the only noise they could stand at the moment other than the wheezing of Kimblee's shallow breaths and Alphonse giving directions every so often. Alphonse would nervously look back at the injured man to make sure he was still alive, only to feel guiltier about the state he was in every time. The car finally rolled to a stop in front of Knox's house and the group scuffled out of the cramped car (It's quite odd how they felt cramped when the entire roof was ripped off, though.), expect for Yoki. He decided that he had quite enough adventure to last a lifetime and promptly drove to somewhere far, far away from anything to do with them. Heinkel carefully shoveled Kimble into his arms, who gave almost no indication that he noticed other than the groan of pain he gave when he was moved. Alphonse knocked at the door and impatiently waited for a response. After a few minutes, the door creaked open and a man who looked very displeased with what he saw was in the door frame. He took one glance at Alphonse and quickly dragged the lot of them into the house, grumbling to himself as he did.

"I have a life of my own you know, as pathetic as it may be." Dr. Knox scowled at Alphonse.

"I'm really sorry. I just didn't know who else to bring him too." Al said while pointing to the bloody man in Heinkel's arms.

"Jesus Christ!" Dr. Knox's eyes widened at the site. "The hell happened?" He said as he ushered Heinkel to his makeshift operation table.

"It's kind of a long story..." Al looked down at the floorboards.

Dr. Knox quickly went to work examining the wounds on the man. It wasn't until he had already finished with identifying the wound that he recognized the man that lay in front of him.

"Since when the hell do you start helping mass murderers?" Knox said in more a curious tone than an accusatory one.

Alphonse jumped before quickly trying to explain himself.

"I know he's really bad but I couldn't just let him die! Besides it was Heinkel's fault he got so hurt in the first place and so I felt kind of guilty." Alphonse said faster than he thought possible. "I mean he doesn't deserve to s-"

Dr.Knox gave a sigh and put a hand up to silence the frantic Elric before getting back to treating the man's wounds.

"It's not my place to judge who has a right to live. It never was." Was all he said and, in all honesty, was all that needed to be said.

Dr.Knox sent Heinkel to grab more of his equipment while he tried to stop the bleeding. Kimblee's shaking hand gave a faint tug at Dr. Knox's sleeve. He gave a meager attempt at speaking but all he managed was a few raspy and pained murmurs that sounded nothing really like words before coughing up even more blood.

"Don't talk, dumbass." Dr. Knox looked down at his patient. "That'll only make things worse if that's even possible at this point."

Alphonse stood outside of the room, not wanting to interfere with Dr. Knox. He could help but be anxious about this, he wasn't even sure Dr. Knox could save him. All Alphonse could do was sit and wait for any news on Kimblee's condition.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT NOTE: As you all know this story is an AU, and as such things won't be the same as the cannon. I feel that it's worth pointing out that in this story the promised day has been delayed a few months for one reason or another. That's all, any other changes that may happen will be explained within the story.

 

 

          Alphonse didn't know how long he had been waiting. All he knew was it was much too long for his ever-increasing worries. There had been many times where he wanted to peek into the room just to make sure kimblee was still alive only to be stopped by Heinkel. Oh how he envied Heinkel, He could be so calm about all this. He could jut pass it off as fate or karma. Alphonse's mind just wasn't wired that way, he couldn't accept something as factless as "fate" being the reason people die. No, it was the actions of other people that caused death, and right now it was Heinkel's and Alphonse's action that caused this. He'd never killed someone before, he saves people for god's sake. His mind kept spinning up ideas and thoughts, each one more horrible than the last.

_What if he dies?_

_Oh god, he's dead, isn't he?_

_He's dead and it's my fault._

_I'm supposed to save people, not kill them!_

_How can I face Winry again after this?_

_How can I face Ed?_

_Oh god, **can** I even face Ed after this?_

_No, I can't. He'll hate me forever._

_I'm a murderer._

_A filthy, bloody murderer._

_Murderer-murderer-murderer-murderer-murderer-murderer-_

The sound of the door creaking opened jolted Alphonse back to reality. He looked up from his spot on the ground to see Dr.Knox just outside of the doorway. Alphonse jumped up and started bombarding the poor man with questions.

"Did he make it? Is he ok? He's not dead, is he? Please tell me he's not dead!" Alphonse pleaded.

"Quit yelling. Do you want to wake the neighbors up?" Dr. Knox growled.

Al hadn't noticed until now but it was pitch black outside. He must have been waiting for hours. He didn't have time to think about that, though, he had more important matters to deal with.

"What about Kimblee's condition?" Alphonse tried again in a quieter tone.

"He's stable, for now anyway. That man's got an iron will to still be kicking." Dr. Knox noticed Alphonse trying to peer around him to see him. "If it'll make you feel better you could see him, he's not conscious, though."

"...No, it's fine. I'll see him when he wakes up." Alphonse said, still not losing his anxious tone.

"Are you sure, kid? " Dr. Knox said with a raised eyebrow. "I doubt he'll be waking up anytime soon."

"Yeah..." Al said with a bit more decisiveness.

Dr. Knox was correct, it would be another week and a half before Kimblee regained consciousness. Alphonse, however, visited him after a week. He had snuck in in the middle of the night, not being able to stand it any longer. He had to see that was Kimblee alive. He just needed to see his chest rise and fall even once and he would be satisfied. As selfish as he felt it was his guilt washed away when he entered the room Kimblee was in. He was indeed alive and, aside from the slight grimace that he wore, he even looked peaceful. Alphonse had never seen Kimblee from anything other than an enemy's perspective. He wondered if anyone knew him as a friend. Al thought of Kimblee having normal conversations with people, laughing at jokes at a park, even just saying hello to a stranger on the street. He'd never stopped to think that Kimblee had a life outside the military. That he had a father and a mother that loved him, or maybe they didn't. He didn't even know if Kimblee had siblings or not. That terrified Alphonse, the fact that he could take someone's life without even knowing a thing about it if he wished. Sure he could say it was for the greater good but that was what he thought. Would Kimblee's friends say it was for the greater good? Would his family? Alphonse tried wrapping his head around all of this as he sat next to the bed Kimblee lay in. He'd never delved into the concept of life's value, he'd just accepted that it was the most valued thing in terms of alchemy. He'd never considered the what makes a human soul valuable. So he spent the night unraveling the thoughts that plagued him. It wasn't until he heard the soft chirping of birds that he realized he had spent the entire night there. He quickly made his way out before anyone could see him.

 

* * *

 

Another couple of days past and Kimblee finally awoke. Alphonse was the first person Dr. Knox notified. (though there was really only one other person to tell. Still, it's the thought that counts.) Alphonse wasted no time on going to see him. When he opened the door he saw Kimblee sitting up, his fingertips tracing the bandages around his throat. He seemed deep in thought as he stared at nothing. Alphonse couldn't help but stare a few moments longer than he should have, he'd never seen Kimblee in such a calm state before. Once he was done gawking, Al cleared his throat to notify Kimblee of his entering. Kimblee turned his head to see Al causing a small grimace to pull at his features for a moment before giving a blank stare at Alphonse, how had taken the empty chair beside him.

"Hi, um..." Al started, suddenly forgetting every question that had been filling his mind mere moments before. "How, erm, how are you feeling?" Al said, cursing himself for having to ask such a stupid question.

Kimble opened his mouth as if to speak before going to the pen and notepad on the nightstand beside him. He scrawled his answer before turning the notepad for Alphonse to see. It had only one four words: **why am I alive?**

Alphonse read the paper over several times. The bluntness of the question had slapped him into a shocked silence for a few moments. Once Alphonse regained himself he said his answer as confidently as he could muster. "Because I'm not a murderer." He said.

Kimblee took a second to ponder on this before going back to scribbling down his retort: But it was Heinkel's fault.

  
"It was my plan in the first place, it was my fault for not expecting him to do something like that. Besides, I might as well have killed you if I had just left you to die." Al said with a bit more bite than he expected of himself.

This was award with a blank stare before Kimblee scrawled onto the paper yet again:  **You Elrics make no sense. You refuse to let someone die, even if it's for the better.**

"It sounds like you wanted to die or something," Al said while giving ( if he actually could) a slightly confused expression.

**I just expected to die. Heinkel did tear through my windpipe, I'm surprised he didn't break my neck all together.**

"Yeah... I'm sorry, for that." Al said, looking at the ground. "I don't think I'd ever get Heinkel to say it, so I am."

**In all my years the military I've never once got an apology from my enemy.**

" Don't think that means I forgive everything you've done. We _are_ enemies, that hasn't changed." Al said before standing up to leave. Just before he walked through the doorway he stopped. "...Thank you, for letting me talk to you." He said with a small voice before leaving the room, the door closing behind him.

 


End file.
